The Svalbard Rocket Range or SvalRak as it is named, is a launch site for sounding rockets at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard, Norway.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The site has been in use since 1997 and is owned by Andøya Space Center, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Kongsberg Group. SvalRak's location at the 79th parallel north makes it well-suited for launching rockets to investigate Earth's magnetic field. It is used mostly by American, Japanese and Norwegian researchers. It is the world's northernmost launch site.
HistoryEdit
Planning of a launch site in Ny-Ålesund started in 1993,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a location chosen because of its ideal location to study the polar cusp.<ref name=kingsbay>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Construction of the site started in the summer of 1997.<ref name=nysmac>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Norwegian Institute for Air Research, which conducts air measurements in Ny-Ålesund, was concerned that the rockets could pollute their measurements.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A test rocket was launched on 15 November.<ref name=larsen>Template:Cite news</ref> The first proper launch was an Indian Rohini RH-300 MkII<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> sounding rocket purchased from ISRO and christened Isbjørn 1 (Polar Bear 1).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This rocket contained instruments from University Centre in Svalbard, the University of Tromsø and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.<ref name=nysmac /> The Template:Convert rocket had a payload of Template:Convert and reached Template:Convert altitude.<ref name=larsen /> It was followed by two Black Brant rockets for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which reached an altitude of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
UseEdit
SvalRak is the world's northernmost rocket launch site, and is located at the 79th parallel north.<ref name=larsen /> This makes it an ideal location for sending instruments into Earth's magnetic field and the polar cups, cleft and cup.<ref name=kingsbay /> It is also used for studying the Magnetopause and aurora borealis, for which Ny-Ålesund is the most convenient location because of its ease of access.<ref name=nysmac /> It is owned by Andøya Space Center, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (90 percent) and the Kongsberg Group (10 percent). SvalRak has no permanent staff in Ny-Ålesund.<ref name=kingsbay /> The main users are American, Japanese and to a less extent Norwegian scientists.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
LaunchesEdit
SvalRak originally held permission to fire four rockets every two years.<ref name="nysmac" /> Forty-one rockets had been launched by 2004, with a peak altitude of Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> The site was upgraded in 2018.<ref name="kingsbay" />
| Date | Vehicle | Description | Agency | Apogee (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 November 20 | RH-300 Mk II | ISBJORN-1 Ionosphere mission | NDRE | 71 |
| 1997 November 20 | Viper 3A | ISBJORN-2 (MD-5) Aeronomy mission | NDRE | 97 |
| 1997 December 2 | Black Brant IX | Plasma mission | NASA | 433 |
| 1997 December 3 | Black Brant IX | Plasma mission | NASA | 446 |
| 2000 December 4 | SS-520 | Ionosphere mission | ISAS | 1108 |
| 2001 July 16 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 108 |
| 2001 July 19 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 105 |
| 2001 July 22 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 July 22 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 July 25 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 July 28 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 July 31 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 July 31 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 2 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 6 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 9 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 12 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 17 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 17 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 20 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 20 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 23 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 27 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 28 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 28 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 August 29 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 1 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 5 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 6 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 8 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 11 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 11 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 14 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 14 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2001 September 14 | Viper 3A | ROMA Aeronomy mission | DLR | 100 |
| 2002 December 14 | Black Brant 10CM1 | Plasma mission | NASA | 772 |
| 2003 July 1 | Improved Orion | ROMA 2003 Aeronomy mission | DLR | 85 |
| 2003 July 4 | Improved Orion | ROMA 2003 Aeronomy mission | DLR | 85 |
| 2003 July 6 | Improved Orion | ROMA 2003 Aeronomy mission | DLR | 85 |
| 2003 November 28 | Nike Improved Orion | FAILURE: Failure | NDRE | 12 |
| 2004 January 22 | Black Brant 10CM1 | SERSIO Plasma mission | NASA | 790 |
| 2008 December 5 | VS-30/Orion | ARR ICI-2 | Sweden | |
| 2011 December 3 | VS-30/Orion | ICI-3 | Sweden | 354 |